


true love connects us forever

by orphan_account



Series: The Female Mariachi [3]
Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Drabble Collection, F/M, One Shot Collection, i might change the rating as the story goes on, since there's some 'risqué' ideas i have in mind but it all depends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-07-15 15:29:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16066022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A collection of roleswap one-shots, mostly taking place before the next Dia de Muertos.





	1. i. morning delight

**Author's Note:**

> So, here’s the one-shot/drabble collection for the roleswap AU that I promised!  
> Also, I’m open to suggestions in general, so if anyone has any ideas then don’t be afraid to tell me.  
> As for the rating/risqué content thing: it just really depends if anyone would be willing to read that or not… yeah, I dunno.  
> Anyway, to start this collection off, enjoy this small drabble!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So for this chapter, it takes place right after Imelda's welcomed back into the family.

It’s been a long time since Imelda has slept in a nice bed, let alone with her _husband_.

 

For so many years, she has been wandering around, sleeping in various places—whether it be on Ceci’s couch, an alleyway near a motel, or in a hammock in Shantytown; she’s never really had the luxury of sleeping comfortably.

 

And so, when she wakes up and finds herself sleeping next to her husband in a soft, large bed, she feels like she’s the luckiest woman in the entire world.

 

She’s so thankful to have such a forgiving, generous man as the love of her life—her _esposo._ She’s thankful of how he accepted her back into his life and family, despite having left long ago—and she’s more than thankful that he still loves her, and calls her his _esposa._

 

She can’t help but smile as she looks at Héctor, still fast asleep. She strokes his hair gently before she kisses his forehead and whispers, “Te amo, mi amor.”

 

When he smiles in his sleep and murmurs “y te amo, mi vida”, she swells with joy.

 

For the first time in her afterlife, she feels genuinely happy, knowing that she is still loved.


	2. ii. welcome to the family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank Deadrose for inspiring me a bit with their comments.  
> I kinda wanted this chapter to be a bit longer, but it just ended up being a 500 word oneshot. A chapter's a chapter, nonetheless.  
> Also, as for the other requests you guys have left me-- I'll get to them, just one at a time.

Crafting shoes is never an easy task, but Héctor carries out his job regardless of the struggle—he started this business, and so he must continue it, even in death. And even if it’s a little hard, it could be fun sometimes—especially if the shoes went to loved ones.

 

Case in point: once breakfast is over, he wastes no time in heading to his work station, gathering the supplies he needs to make black short boots for his wife.

 

It has been a long time since the family was truly together—ninety-two years since Imelda was a part of their family. Now that she’s back, he’s going to make sure she feels welcome—and for him, there’s no better way to do that than to make her a pair of Rivera boots.

 

And so, he begins working on the shoes, while the dress fabric rests near a sewing machine. It’ll take some time before he finishes with her new clothes, but it’ll be worth it in the end, as it is his gift to her—his way of saying _welcome back to the family._

* * *

“Can I open my eyes now?”

 

Imelda’s eyes are shut tightly, as Héctor leads her to their bedroom. Her hair bun is tied up by purple ribbons, having been combed by him earlier in the morning.

 

“Not yet,” he replies, a small grin on his face. He tries to hold back his excitement, as he opens the door.

 

Once they take a few steps inside the room, he then tells her, “Alright, _now_ you can open them.”

 

She does open her eyes, and her amber orbs widen as they fall upon a purple formal dress and black short boots. The shoes are shiny and brand new, while the dress has floral designs all over with frills around the chest area—the long skirt of the dress is trucked into a red belt, with brown rope designs on each lining of the skirt.

 

“Oh, _dios mío_ ,” she gasps. She grabs the dress, holding it close, while she looks between it and the boots. “They’re _beautiful!_ ”

 

“I figured that if you were going to be living here again, you’d need a bit of a change from those rags,” Héctor explains. “Do you like them?”

 

“I _love_ them!” Imelda exclaims.

 

She soon rids herself of her ragged dress, slipping on her new one. She twirls for a moment, as the skirt sways around. She grins widely, overjoyed to have such a gift.

 

“Here,” he says, as he grabs the boots, before he beckons for her to sit on the bed. “Let me help you with the boots.”

 

She walks over to the bed and sits down, while he kneels to the ground. She lifts her right leg up, and he slips a boot onto her foot. It fits like a glove.

 

A warm, bubbly feeling surfaces within her as she looks at her right foot. Seeing the shoe reminds her that _yes_ , she is truly welcome here. His family is her family; they are one.

 

Once Héctor finishes slipping the other boot onto Imelda’s left foot, he takes her hands into his and they stand up together.

 

“Welcome to the family, mi amor,” he whispers, grinning widely.

 

“Gracias,” she thanks him, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. “It’s so good to be back.”

 

They share a kiss, before embracing each other as a new chapter in their lives begins—only this time, they’ll start it together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the next chapter, I might write how Ceci and Imelda met or another Imector chapter (wow what a twist) except it'll be hurt/comfort with a bit of a more _explicit_ twist to it, if you know what I mean—or maybe a Julio/Coco one, or one with Victoria  & Hector & Elena. Idk, the possibilities are just endless. I’ll just think about it for a while, then I’ll decide and write it down. I'm not in a rush when it comes to this anyway, since it is just a collection of drabbles and one-shots. :P
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed!


	3. iii. (insert witty title for imector hurt/comfort oneshot here)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't updated in a long time. University projects are getting to me, and taking up a lot of my time so I just... kinda went on hiatus. I'm not abandoning my work though. I just haven't been feeling so inspired or creative lately.  
> But, I managed to write something today, inspired by a suggestion from Toonsgirl27. I do find it ironic that the Imector suggestions are what pulled me out of my hiatus.  
> I will eventually get to the other requests, once I truly start feeling more at ease. For now, though, I'll probably just take a break and focus on school for a while.  
> Anyway, enjoy and sorry for being a party pooper.

To say that what happened on Día de Muertos made him feel guilty was an understatement. Just thinking of how he nearly caused his wife to suffer the Final Death makes Héctor  _loathe_ himself—it makes him feel  _terrified_ when he remembers how her body violently shimmered. 

 

And yet, it also boggles his mind how Imelda holds no grudge against him. She still loves him, and happily calls him her  _esposo_ despite the fact that he turned her down in the worst way possible when they first reunited in the Land of the Dead.

 

Sometimes, he thinks he doesn't deserve her. After all, not only has he caused her so much pain, but there's also the fact that he's seventy-five—he's not the same young man he used to be. He's fifty-one years older, and has changed so much over the years. 

 

She deserves someone her age—someone who won't let his emotions get in the way and ruin everything, someone who isn't so old, someone who isn't… 

 

…someone who isn't  _him_.

 

* * *

 

It's during the night when he finds himself staring at her, as she rests her body on her side of the bed. He mumbles, "What did I do to deserve you?"

 

She hears him and stirs awake, sitting up. "What do you mean?" she asks quietly, a little confused by his words.

 

"I hurt you badly—because of  _me,_ you almost died  _again_ ," he explains, as he also sits up. "Yet, you still love me…  _why?_ "

 

"Because you're my esposo," she replies simply.

 

"But I'm _old_ ," he argues, frowning. "I was so bitter and cruel towards you back in 1975. Why do you still—"

 

"—you didn't know," she interrupts him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "It's not your fault. It's mine for leaving, and that  _bastardo's_ for murdering me on the way home."

 

"But if I had known, then we wouldn't—" 

 

"—shhhh." Imelda places a finger on his bony lips as she pulls him into her arms. "I'm not letting you take the blame." She then kisses his cheek. "You're not the one who's at fault—you're my esposo, and I love you no matter what."

 

"Despite my age and actions?" Héctor questions her.

 

"Mentally speaking, we're both 117 years-old," Imelda answers. "As for your actions: I forgave you a long time ago." She smiles at him. "Believe me, if you didn't deserve me, then I wouldn't have waited  _years_ for you."

 

He rests his chin on her shoulder for a moment, soaking in her words. Then, he presses his lips against her cheek before he squeezes her gently and whispers, "You're too good."

 

"I have my moments," she murmurs back, grinning as she returns the hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small and not really my best work, I realize, but I wrote this last night and at least it's something.  
> And with this, I shall now slip back into my usual schedule of "updating when I actually can focus and get ideas" as I focus on work.  
> Take care. <3


	4. how i met your great-great grandfather/grandmother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while since I've touched upon this. I promise I haven't forgotten the requests though, and I swear I will get around to them -- I'm just putting out the big ones first, then the small ones.  
> So, this is based on a request made by Toonsgirl27 (and yes, it's a habit that I'm thanking her a lot now... get used to it), of how Héctor and Imelda met.  
> Oh, and in this AU, they're both born in the same year (1900), Ernesto's born in 1894 and the twins are born in 1904.  
> Now enjoy~

July 1918

Imelda is eighteen years-old, and she loves to sing, dance and play her guitar—especially alongside her friend and _hermano adoptivo,_ Ernesto. But while she enjoys singing with him, she can't help but yearn for more...

One day as the two are practicing for their next performance on stage, Ernesto notices that the young woman is a little more glum than usual. "Estás bien?" he asks her.

Imelda lets out a sigh, her eyes focused on the ground. "It's nothing, it's just—" she stops for a moment. "I wish I had a family to call my own," she finally says.

"Oh, but mi hermanita, we are family!" Ernesto chuckles at her words. "And I'm the only family you'll ever need!"

Imelda smiles a little, but she still can't help but feeling like something's missing from her life—or rather, _someone._ Someone who she can share her love of music with—and _no,_ Ernesto does not count because she sees him as a brother; she practically grew up with him.

She wishes to find her Príncipe Encantador...

* * *

" _Maldita sea,_ _Héctor!_ That's the _tenth_ suitor you've turned down this week!"

"I can't help it, Papá!" the young man yells back. "She was so _rude_ and _vulgar_ —she was _unbearable!_ "

"But you have to say yes to a suitor at some point, or else our family name will never carry on!" his mother insists.

Héctor turns to his mother. "I'll accept a suitor's courtship when I find the _right one,_ Mamá," he says. "But right now, all of the women I've met are simply not right for me."

"No girl is right for you," his father grumbles.

Héctor's eyes narrow as he looks back at his father. In a huff, he leaves the room and heads to the yard, where he sits down on a bench in the garden.

"Why do I even bother trying to explain myself?" he mutters, shaking his head. "They'll never understand…"

Unlike all of the other men, he didn't mindlessly drool over women just because of their outward appearances—instead, he wanted a woman who was beautiful both inside and out; a girl who was a kind, understanding soul. Because of this, he'd refused all of the possible suitors for him as he found most of the girls to be ill-mannered and either silly or just plain out boring.

Unfortunately, his parents just don't understand...  _but_ there are two boys who do.

"What's wrong, hermano?" twin boys fourteen years of age ask him, popping out from the bushes.

"Oh, Oscar, Felipe," Héctor says as he turns to his younger twin brothers. "Papá and Mamá are so adamant on me settling down, yet they just don't seem to understand what I want in a suitor. At this rate, my chances at finding the right girl seem small…"

"Don't worry, hermano, you'll find her one day!" Oscar reassures him.

"And she'll be sweet, funny and _muy hermoso!_ " Felipe adds, causing his twin brother to whistle in agreement.

"Well, I hope so!" Héctor chuckles. " _I sure hope so_..."

* * *

Later that day, the two's wishes are granted.

In the plaza, Imelda is sitting on the steps of a stage, trying to write a new song. "What color is the sky?" she wonders, putting a finger under her chin. "Blue?" She shakes her head. "No, no—that's too plain and simple. Too boring."

As she's brainstorming ideas, Héctor comes to the market nearby to buy food for him and his brothers. He's searching through a bin of avocados when a girl walks up to him and taps his shoulder.

"Hola, señor guapo," the girl greets him flirtatiously once he turns around. "Say, would you like to come over to my house tonight so I can put on a fun little performance for you?"

Héctor tries not to scrunch up his nose in disgust at her little suggestion, and masks his distaste with a small smile. "No, sorry," he answers, waving a hand in dismissal. "Tonight, I have to prepare dinner for mi hermanitos."

"Come on," the girl persists, getting a little too close for comfort. "Forget about them for tonight, and let me show you what it means to be a man."

"I'm sorry, señorita, but I really can't," he tries to kindly turn her down once again while nervously backing up against the cart. "Please understand that I'm just not interested."

"When I'm done with you, you will be—" the girl's sentence is soon cut off by a cry of pain as a shoe hits the back of her head. She whips her head around, only to face another woman.

"Leave him alone," Imelda orders, her voice low and firm while her eyebrows are furrowed. "Can't you see he isn't interested in you and that you're making him nervous? Or are you so desperate for some pleasure that you'd force yourself onto this poor, defenseless man when all he wants is to get some vegetables?"

The girl tries to say something, but finds that she is unable to—so she lets out a shriek of frustration and storms off.

" _Muchas gracias_ for saving me," Héctor thanks Imelda. "I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't."

"It's no problem," she says as she reaches down to pick up her shoe, slipping it back onto her foot. "I just saw someone in trouble, and decided to help."

Just as the woman starts to head back towards the stage, he calls out, "Wait!"

Imelda turns to him. "What?"

"What is your name?" he asks her.

"Imelda," she answers.

"Imelda," he repeats her name quietly, a small grin tugging at his lips. "I'm Héctor," he tells her his name, extending a hand out for her to shake. When she takes it, he asks her another question, "Will I see you again tomorrow?"

She smiles at him. "Yes – yes, you will."

* * *

Indeed, he does see her tomorrow at the plaza—and the day after that, the day after that and the day after that. Days turn into weeks, which turn into months. Every day, the two hang out together when Ernesto's not around, becoming the best of friends. Imelda plays her guitar and sings her songs, while Héctor listens and dances, singing along.

He tells her that her voice is like that of a nightingale's, that she plays and writes beautifully—that she shines brighter than any star in the night sky. She tells him that he's a wonderful gentleman, that his voice isn't that bad either—that he's so inspiring.

Unbeknownst to him, she's slowly but surely writing a song that she started a month ago, which is now dedicated to him.

It is by September that friendship fully blossoms into love, and it's not long before their families notice.

Felipe and Oscar can't help but wonder why their brother is so happy all the time. They can't help but silently ask who is this Imelda he speaks of whenever he thinks he's alone? And is she the girl that has managed to finally capture their brother's heart?

Ernesto wonders who Imelda is acting so dizzy and dreamy over. Why won't she stop talking about this 'Héctor' guy, or whatever his name is?

Weeks later, Imelda finally finishes the song she’s written for Héctor. One night, she heads over to his house and lets out a loud grito, grabbing his attention as he opens the windows in curiosity, only to give her a smile when he sees her. Seeing his smile, she begins to sing their song.

_Que el cielo no es azul,_

_Ay mi amor, ay mi amor!_

_Que es rojo dices tú_

_Ay mi amor, ay mi amor!_

_Ves todo al revés_

_Ay mi amor, ay mi amor!_

_Creo que piensas con los pies_

_Ay mi amor, ay mi amor!_

With each lyric and verse that leaves her mouth, his smile grows wider and wider. He claps and taps his feet to the rhythm of her music, while his heart begins beating as rapidly as hers.

_Tú me traes un poco loco,_

_Un poquiti-ti-to loco_

_Estoy adivinado,_

_Qué quieres y pa cuando_

_Y así estoy celebrando_

_Que me he vuelto un poco loco!_

What neither of them know is that Héctor’s family is listening to the whole exchange, watching from another window on a different floor of the house. Ernesto is also watching from afar, gritting his teeth as he sees his hermana with some _mutt_.

But Imelda and Héctor are too happy, too lost within each other to give notice to the eavesdroppers. Once the song finishes, Héctor’s cheering and blowing kisses at Imelda.

“Yo también te quiero!” he yells out to her with passion. “ _Te amo tanto!_ ”

“Y te quiero más!” she calls back, blowing him a kiss back at him.

Needless to say, they begin to court each other. Imelda’s creativity flows as she’s finally found her true muse in Héctor, and he showers her with all of his love and affection. He ravishes her, treats her like a queen—and she loves every second of it.

Héctor’s family is supportive. His father and mother breathe a sigh of relief when he tells them that he plans to make Imelda his wife one day, while the twins are ecstatic at the prospect of not only gaining a new sister, but that their brother has finally found the one at long last.

Ernesto, however, isn’t very supportive. When Imelda tells him of her relationship with Héctor, he cries outraged, “Are you telling me that you love this _mutt?_ ”

“He’s not a mutt,” Imelda defends her lover, her gaze hard as she looks at the older man. “And yes I love him, just as much as he loves me.”

“But what about our dream of singing on stage and performing for the world?” Ernesto goes on, his voice raising with each word. “If you continue this courting process, then we’ll never reach our dream!”

“ _No seas ridiculo,_ ” she dismisses him. “Being a wife isn’t going to stop me from being a musician. Besides, he hasn’t even proposed to me yet.”

After this argument, Ernesto tries to bite his tongue and hold back his resentment towards Héctor, but it’s hard when the latter refuses to be peaceful with him and refers to him as a “culo grande, absorto en sí mismo.” They don’t get along, nor do they even try for Imelda’s sake.

The twins meet Imelda, and they ask her all sorts of questions such as “will you make us uncles” or “when are you going to marry our brother?” They say that she’s really pretty, and that they’re glad she’s the one Héctor has chosen to court. His parents carefully look her up and down, before telling her, “You’ll do nicely for our son, and as the mother of our future grandchildren.”

Finally, in the spring of 1919, Héctor proposes to Imelda. There are tears in her eyes, and she nods quickly and folds him into a tight hug as she says, “Si, por supuesto lo haré!”

The twins cheer when they receive the news, while Ernesto’s horrified that his worst fear is coming true.

It’s not long before the wedding is held, and a week later, little Coco is conceived. The rest, my dear readers, is history.

El fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the ending and all, I just got a little stuck there and couldn’t find much else to work with. That, and I’m kind of weary of writing a lot since I’ve been having really bad luck with my lengthy fics lately, as one has been copied twice (the second one though, I’m slightly hesitant to say is a copy but I’m also seeing quotes taken from my fic and rephrased with a different protag in Miguel's place but Imelda's still the one who leaves so like *sideeyes* but still, idk. At least the first one was taken down though, so that’s a plus I guess)– which of course left me in a sour mood, which only adds to a list of reasons why I’m so slow at updates. But I swear, nothing’s being abandoned. Once I get out of this ‘moody’ phase, I’ll move onto the other requests.  
> Hope this chapter was good, and I’ll see you all on the plus side. Adios.


End file.
